[EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT]

By TAIPEI TIMES STAFF

Highlight

The “peace circle” at the annual Peacefest concert in Longtan, Taoyuan County.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PEACEFEST

Tomorrow, the Living Room is hosting a fundraising pre-party for Peacefest 2008, a three-day music and arts festival that takes place from June 13 to June 15 at Kunlun Gardens (崑崙藥用植物園) in Longtan, Taoyuan County (桃園縣龍潭鄉). All proceeds from the pre-parties and festival will go to the following organizations: the Taiwan International Workers Association (台灣國際勞工協會), Compassion International Taiwan (財團法至善社會福利基金會), and the TransAsia Sisters Association. Tomorrow’s lineup includes rock bands The Admissionaries and Alison’s Army, country band 2 Acres Plowed, and Brian Funshine.

▲ Tomorrow at the Living Room at 9pm. Call (02) 8787-4154 or visit www.livingroomtaipei.com

▲ Admission is NT$200 at the door; all proceeds go to charity

▲ www.hopingforhoping.com

A scene from Lemon Tree, a film by Israeli director Eran Riklis about a Palestinian woman who runs into trouble when Israel’s defense minister becomes her next-door neighbor.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF TFF

Taipei Film Festival (台北電影節) celebrates its 10th birthday this year with a series of festivities and a lineup of roughly 200 films from across the globe. There will be lectures and seminars by film luminaries such as French director Olivier Assayas, Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) and Israeli movie star Gila Almagor, as well as a film market, party, and photo exhibition on Jerusalem by legendary photographer and filmmaker Ron Havilio.

The festival’s programs include City Vision, which features films made in and about Jerusalem and Dublin; Global Chinese Cinerama, a showcase of the latest works from Chinese-speaking countries; In Memory Of, which this year pays tribute to the late Edward Yang (楊德昌), Heath Ledger, Kon Ichikawa and Pai Ching-jui (白景瑞); the Golden Lion Taiwan and International Student Film Competitions, both platforms for aspiring filmmakers; the New Talent Competition for up-and-coming directors from around the world; and the Taiwan Film Awards, the main event for local filmmakers.

▲ The festival runs from June 20 to July 6 at several venues in Taipei City and Taipei County

▲ Advance tickets are NT$100 for weekday matinee screenings and NT$180 for night and weekend screenings. Ten screenings for NT$1,500. Tickets can be purchased through NTCH ticket outlets or at www.artsticket.com.tw

▲ For a list of venues, screening times and other information, go to www.taipeiff.org.tw

Contemporary

The Chinese jazz fusion band Sizhukong (絲竹空) plays at Franz and Friends Restaurant on Sunday afternoon. The six-piece ensemble uses instruments such as the ruan (阮) and the erhu (二胡) as solo voices on top of the standard jazz rhythm section of piano, drums and bass.

Jazz Quintessence appears on Friday night at Sappho de Base, the current favorite late-night hangout for Taipei’s jazz musicians. On Saturday, it’s the Kenyatta Quartet, drummer Abe Nbugu Kenyatta of New Orleans. On Tuesday night, it’s a set by the Grace Jazz Trio, with an open jam afterwards.